MANILA, Philippines — World shares were mixed Friday in holiday-thinned trading as tech stocks slipped as a recent rebound driven by hopes for an interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve lost steam.
In early European trading, Germany’s DAX shed nearly 0.2 per cent to 23,730.81 as traders awaited inflation data set to be released later in the day.
Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.2 per cent to 9,708.36 on gains in energy and mining stocks.
The CAC 40 in France was nearly unchanged at 8,100.87, despite government data showing France’s economy grew 0.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter in July-September, up from 0.3 per cent in the previous quarter.
While developments related to artificial intelligence have been driving recent ups and downs in world markets, the focus remains on the outlook for U.S. monetary policy. Recent comments by Fed officials have helped revive hopes the central bank will act during its meeting next month.
“Everyone is sprinting toward the same conclusion: the Fed will deliver holiday cheer,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed 0.2 per cent higher to 50,253.91, rebounding from losses earlier in the day. Data showed Japan’s housing starts rose 3.2 per cent in October from the same period a year ago, the first annual increase since March. The number defied market expectations of 5.2 per cent decline and reversed a 7.3 per cent drop in September.
Government data also showed Tokyo’s year-on-year core inflation in November remained at 2.8 per cent, unchanged from October and above the Bank of Japan’s 2 per cent target. That reinforces expectations of a gradual shift by the central bank to higher interest rates, although a rate hike is not expected at the Bank of Japan’s December meeting.
South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.5 per cent to 3,926.59 after the country’s industrial production fell 4 per cent month-on-month in October, more than the 1.1 per cent decline in September. Semiconductor production plunged 26.5 per cent month-on-month, pushing down tech stocks like LG Energy Solutions, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.
In Chinese markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.3 per cent to 25,858.89. The Shanghai Composite index edged up 0.3 per cent to 3,888.60.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index fell less than 0.1 per cent to 8,614.10, while Taiwan’s Taiex rose 0.3 per cent. India’s BSE Sensex was unchanged.
On Wednesday, before the trading holiday in the U.S., stocks closed broadly higher on Wall Street. The S&P 500 gaining 0.7 per cent and the Dow up 0.7 per cent. The Nasdaq composite added 0.8 per cent.
Early Friday, the futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.1 per cent.
Brent crude, the international standard for pricing, was up 15 cents at US$63.02 per barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 156.34 Japanese yen from 156.31 yen. The euro fell to $1.1567 from $1.1596.
Teresa Cerojano, The Associated Press
